By Emelie Rutherford
Army and Air Force brass met yesterday to start developing a common concept of operations (CONOPS) for unmanned aircraft used in joint operations across the full spectrum of conflict.
The meeting at Langley AFB, Va., follows an agreement the two services reached early this year to develop a process to identify and address equipment interoperability issues. That agreement calls for the development of an unmanned aerial system (UAS) CONOPS “that would lay the foundation for acquisition, airspace, air defense, force structure and organizational strategies,” according to a statement released yesterday by both services.
Attendees at yesterday’s meeting on the new joint UAS CONOPS included Air Force Gen. John Corley, Air Combat Command (ACC) head; Army Gen. William Wallace, Army Training and Doctrine Command commanding general; and Army Lt. Gen. Michael Vane, Army Capabilities and Integration Center director.
“Taking a joint approach on UAS issues will allow us to rapidly develop force capabilities from concept and capability development through employment by identifying, linking and synchronizing all of our activities,” Wallace said.
Such activities include doctrine, organizations, training, leader development, materiel, personnel, and facilities, the release says.
One focus with the CONOPS will be methods to best share information and command and control.
“If we can’t share data, then we can’t share information,” Corley said. “If we can’t share information, we can’t command and control.”
Wallace said efforts should be made to raise CONOPS up a level by focusing on capabilities rather than focusing on service-centric solutions, according to the release.
The goal of the forthcoming CONOPS is to ensure that a joint forces commander can expect the same level of support from an Air Force UAS unit supporting an Army movement as they would receive from an Army unit and vice-versa, Maj. Matt Martin, ACC A3YU Predator and Reaper Operations Branch chief, said.
“The CONOPS will influence how the services organize, train and equip their forces,” he said. “The joint forces commander needs to expect the same level of effectiveness from each branch no matter what the mission.”
Enhancements have already been made to current service-specific procedures used in the theater, the release says.
“Enhancements to the current CONOPS are already underway and have already yielded benefits to the warfighter,” Corley said. “We are looking to shape and inform our future discussions on doctrine, materiel, interoperability and training with this concept of operations. We’re not starting from the beginning.”